For an industry that was once hit drastically by the impact of the pandemic, the cruise holiday market has made a remarkable recovery in recent years.
Earlier this year, it was suggested cruise passenger numbers in 2023 were up 7% on 2019 levels, with more than 31 million people taking a cruise across the year. Consumers are discovering the convenience and value of a cruise holiday.
Whilst in years gone by, cruises have stereotypically been associated with an older customer demographic, in reality, more younger audiences – in particular Gen Z and millennials – are starting to make their mark on the sector.
As highlighted in the Cruise Lines International Association’s 2024 State of the Cruise Industry Report, Gen Z and Millennials made up 36% of cruise travelers over the past two years, with millennials also dubbed the most enthusiastic about planning a cruise holiday. This is partly down to cruises being viewed as good value holidays in the midst of a cautious spending environment due to inflation, however, more cruise operators are overhauling their offerings to appeal to new customers too. Earlier this year, Norwegian Cruise Line placed its largest ship order to date to meet rising demand for cruise travel, while Virgin Voyages ran a summer offer for passengers aged 18-26 to travel free with their parents or guardians.
So, given the future of cruise is the younger generation, we look at how marketing strategies of brands operating within the sector should adapt and change accordingly to ensure new audiences are being engaged and captured.
Embracing Influencer Marketing
Given more than half of all Gen Zers and Milliennials have made a purchase based on a recommendation from a social media influencer or content creator, working with influencers on an organic or paid perspective is a great way of targeting new audiences whilst also being able to track impact.
For example, Princess Cruises recently gifted a number of TikTok influencers including Eva’s World & Corys World with a cruise holiday to highlight to their extensive followings what you could expect on one of their cruises.
@corysworldd Feel like a skinny ledgend today #corysworld @Lea Charlotte x @Charly Anne C @Becki Jones @ge0rgia talks @Eva’s world | Travel Deals🌴 @GeorgeTG @Grays Norfolk LTD @caingrays @My Kind of Cruise @Princess Cruises #mykindofcruise #PrincessCruises #ILoveThis #HereComesTheSun GIFTED CRUISE / AD
Whilst influencers and creator content provide the opportunity to engage your target audience and potential customers by creating love and trust for your brand, it’s important to remember any influencer marketing is authentic and that partners are the right fit for your brand to avoid appearing disingenuous.
Capturing consumer attention through creative content
Gen Z and Millennial search habits are changing rapidly, meaning searches via social media are becoming the go-to over traditional search engines like Google and brands need to ensure their social profiles are highlighting the business in the best light.
Business’ social media pages are just as important as their website and should be regularly updated with aspirational, informative and engaging content. A series of impactful social media assets or an animated infographic posted across Instagram or TikTok could lead to an influx of followers, an improved click-through rate and an increase in enquiries which could impact your overall bottom line.
Driving traffic though PR
With the online travel booking market expected to hit $833 billion in 2025, it’s critical that your company website has a strong presence, and its Google search rankings are optimised for engaging consumers looking to explore cruise options.
Digital PR can help with this. Through insight-led strategies that are tailored to specific online news sites, we can help brands to build impactful and relevant stories that include natural backlinks to their website, which in turn will improve organic rankings and boost your overall authority and visibility online
SEO, Paid Search, and Content Marketing will also further improve brand visibility, engage your audience and drive quality traffic.
Conclusion
In a re-defined landscape, cruise lines have an opportunity to creatively reimagine their onboard offering, destinations, and add-ons to appeal to more travellers – and should consider a varied strategy to educate and target potential new customers.
If you’d be interested in discussing your cruise ship marketing strategy for 2025, why not get in touch with our expert Consumer and Corporate Public Relations teams today.